1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to golf. More specifically, the invention relates to a golf putting club.
2. Description of the Related Art
During a round of golf, players require the use of a golf ball position marker to indicate or approximate the relative position of a golf ball on the golf course. Notwithstanding the official rules of golf, a player may exchange the golf ball with a ball position marker under the following conditions: 1) if, when located on a putting surface, a player's ball obstructs the putting line of another; 2) to clean a ball located on a putting surface; 3) to exchange an old ball for a new ball; 4) to repair the playing surface; or 5) other general maintenance activities.
Since ball position markers are typically used on the putting surface and the club utilized on the putting surface is a golf putter club ("putter"), it is preferable to incorporate a ball position marker delivery system with the putter.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,248,430, issued to Kepler on Feb. 3, 1981, discloses a putter incorporating a ball mark assembly. The ball mark assembly is formed within the club head of the putter. The portion of the club head which receives and holds the ball position marker in place is magnetized. The ball position marker must extend out past the side of the club head which provides access to the receiving portion of the head so that a user of the ball position marker may take hold of the ball position marker to retrieve it from the club head. This design is not optimal for two reasons. First, because the ball position marker is exposed while it is stored in the club head, it is prone to being dislodged every time the putter is taken from or returned to a golf bag for storage. Second, the ball position marker optically prevents the golfer from putting on a proper line. The off-center position of the ball position marker which extends into view when in its stored location tends to distract the golfer while putting. Depending on the weight of ball position marker, it may provide a balance issue since it is positioned at the end opposite where the club shaft is attached to the club head.
U. S. Pat. No. 4,968,037, issued to Berry on Nov. 6, 1990, discloses a ball mark assembly which is attached to the end of the shaft of the putter. This location eliminates the line and balance issues of the assembly set forth above. This design is, however, deficient in that it is exposed to all types of forces by being located at the top of the club shaft. It may rest on the bottom of the golf bag. Repeated droppings of the putter into the golf bag will result in the compromising of the integrity of the assembly. In addition, it is likely that the ball position marker held by the ball mark assembly would be knocked out of the ball mark assembly when the putter is placed into or removed from the golf bag requiring the golfer to remove all of the clubs from the golf bag and tipping the golf bag upside down to retrieve the ball position marker.